Airbnb Hidden Camera Policy: What Hosts Need to Know

The rule is simple: no cameras inside, ever. Airbnb's policy prohibits security cameras inside listings, and hidden recording devices have always been banned. Exterior cameras and doorbells are allowed only with disclosure and limits. Here's what the Airbnb hidden camera policy means in practice, the laws that sit behind it, and how to show guests — and Airbnb — that your listing is camera-free.

What Airbnb's policy says

• Indoor security cameras are banned in all listings — bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas alike — whether or not they're disclosed or turned off.
• Exterior cameras and doorbell cameras must be disclosed in the listing, including their general location, and must not be used to view indoor spaces.
• Private outdoor areas with a greater expectation of privacy — such as an enclosed outdoor shower or a sauna — must not be monitored.
• Noise decibel monitors are allowed in common spaces if disclosed. They measure volume to detect parties, and must not record or transmit conversations.

Breaking these rules can lead to listings being removed and accounts being suspended — and, far more seriously, to criminal liability.

The law behind the policy

United States

Recording people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy — bedrooms and bathrooms especially — can be a crime under state voyeurism laws. Audio is a separate risk: many states require the consent of everyone in a conversation before it's recorded, so an outdoor camera that records sound can break wiretapping laws even when the video is lawful. If your exterior devices record audio, consider turning it off.

United Kingdom

When a host uses a camera or video doorbell that captures guests for a business, UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 apply. You need a lawful basis, clear signage, a short retention period, security for the footage and a way to respond to requests for copies. Covert recording in private areas can also be a criminal offence.

Devices hosts forget about

Most camera complaints aren't about deliberately hidden cameras — they're about devices hosts didn't think of. Remove, disable or disclose:

• Indoor security systems with camera-equipped motion sensors
• Baby monitors and pet cameras left in a cupboard
• Smart displays and smart TVs with built-in cameras
• Smart speakers with always-on microphones (disclose them, or remove them)
• Old laptops or tablets left in the property
• Video doorbells that can see through a glass door or window into the home

Exterior cameras: placement rules of thumb

• Point cameras at entrances, driveways and parking — the areas you need to protect — not at the house's windows.
• Check the field of view from the device's own app: if it can see through a window or glass door, move or mask it.
• Keep cameras away from hot tubs, pools used for changing, outdoor showers, saunas and anywhere guests undress.
• Avoid capturing neighbours' property or the public street more than necessary — in the UK this matters for data protection too.
• Turn off audio recording unless you're sure it's lawful where the property is.

Writing a clear device disclosure

Vague disclosures cause more complaints than cameras do. Say what each device is, where it is, what it covers and whether it records sound. For example:

“There is a video doorbell at the front door that records the front porch and path when motion is detected. It does not record audio and cannot see inside the home. There is a noise monitor in the living room that measures volume only — it does not record or transmit sound. There are no cameras inside the property.”

Put the same wording in your listing, your house manual and your check-in message.

A before-every-stay privacy sweep

1. Walk every bedroom and bathroom and confirm nothing new is plugged in, mounted or left on a shelf.
2. Check that smart speakers and displays are only where your disclosure says, and their camera covers are closed.
3. Confirm exterior cameras still point where your disclosure says and haven't been knocked or moved.
4. Remove anything left behind by previous guests or contractors — old phones, chargers with cameras, tablets.
5. Record the attestation with the name and time, so there's a dated record for this stay.

How to prove your listing is camera-free

1. Keep a device inventory for each property: every connected device, where it is and what it can record.
2. Record an attestation before every stay. Whoever prepares the property confirms there are no cameras or recording devices in private areas. Our security checklist includes this as a signed attestation item.
3. Photograph exterior devices and their fields of view once, and again whenever they're moved.
4. Write clear disclosures in the listing and house manual: what each exterior device is, where it is and what it covers.

If a guest reports a camera

Respond quickly and calmly. Ask where the device is, explain what it is if it's a disclosed or innocent device (such as a smoke alarm), and offer to remove or cover it. If a guest finds a device you didn't know about, treat it seriously: preserve it, contact Airbnb, and consider contacting the police. Your dated attestations and device inventory show what you knew and when.

Wi-Fi and smart home privacy

Privacy isn't only about cameras. Give guests their own Wi-Fi network rather than your admin network, and don't monitor what they browse. Reset smart TVs, streaming apps and voice assistants between stays so guests aren't signed in to someone else's accounts — and so the next guest can't see theirs. If a smart speaker keeps voice recordings, disclose it or switch the feature off.

Handling footage responsibly

Exterior footage should be kept only as long as you need it — for example, a few weeks to deal with a damage or security issue — then deleted automatically. Limit who can view it, secure the account with a strong password and two-factor authentication, and never share clips of guests online. If a guest asks for footage of themselves, in the UK they may be entitled to a copy under data protection law.

Security & privacy checklist

With our Airbnb safety checklist software, the no-hidden-cameras attestation is signed by name and timestamped before every stay, and appears in your compliance report alongside locks and other security checks.

Frequently asked questions